Heavy metal

These tractor badges survive as relics of a more heroic age: for them, the earth still moves

My father was a design engineer who specialised in heavy earth-moving equipment, so I grew up around iconic names such as Kenworth Trucks, Caterpillar and Oshkosh (the most powerful trucks in the world – not kids’ dungarees).

And I was always aware of these solid metal tractor badges. The older ones were probably created in-house by engineering designers . . .

Anthony Oliver, photographer, tree surgeon, Kent, UK

First published in Eye no. 71 vol. 18, 2009

Eye is the world’s most beautiful and collectable graphic design journal, published quarterly for professional designers, students and anyone interested in critical, informed writing about graphic design and visual culture. It is available from all good design bookshops and online at the Eye shop, where you can buy subscriptions and single issues. You can see what Eye looks like at Eye before you buy on Vimeo.